Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old Australian, died on Wednesday, nearly a week after being Taserized by a police officer during an intervention at her nursing home. The mother of eight children "died peacefully in hospital shortly after 7 p.m., surrounded by family and loved ones," New South Wales state police said.
"It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of Clare Nowland, 95, in Cooma this evening," New South Wales State Police said in a statement. The elderly lady has been in critical condition in hospital since being hit by electronic stun gun fire on May 17 in an incident that has deeply shocked Australians.
On Friday May 19, Australian police admitted that one of their officers had used a Taser against an elderly lady. Law enforcement had been approached by staff at Yallambee Lodge nursing home in New South Wales to subdue a woman "wielding a knife".
Officers said they urged Clare Nowland to drop the serrated meat knife before she walked "at a slow pace" in their direction, leaning on her walker. At this point, the offending officer used his taser against her. "The officers attempted to speak to the woman," Australian police said. "During this interaction, an experienced officer used his Taser, causing the woman to fall and hit her head. »
Calls for the opening of a parliamentary inquiry in New South Wales and to make public the images taken by the body camera of the offending police officer had been issued following this affair. "We do not intend to broadcast [the video], unless there is a procedure at the end [of this drama] which allows it to be done", reacted in this regard, the last weekend, Commissioner Karen Webb, who listened to the recording herself. "I don't think it's necessary for me to actually watch it. “, she had then commented.
The fact that Clare Nowland was tasered "has sparked outrage among the people of the state that shows how desperately we need police reform," the MP hammered home this week. local environmentalist Sue Higginson.
Commissioner Webb said her colleagues might need to be "better equipped" to deal with patients with dementia. Law enforcement said they had opened an investigation into the "critical incident".
